The present invention relates to live table gaming, and is more particularly related to an automatic electro-mechanical and video table game that can remotely played by receipt of a live video feed of table game play with table game results.
With the increasing popularity of gaming, gaming competitors increasing enter the gaming marketplace. To remain competitive, each gaming company attempts to distinguish its goods and service from those of other gaming companies. Players, in response to the attention from gaming companies for their business, feel free to be more demanding of gaming companies. These demands include a plentiful supply of games of chance, both live and computer controlled.
Some players prefer computer controlled games such as video slot machines and video poker. As stated in Practical Casino Math, Second Edition (2005), by Hannum and Cabot, at page 64, “[t]oday's computer controlled gaming devices depend upon random number generators (RNG's) to select a ‘random’ symbol combination and ensure the game's fairness.” Some players prefer live table games such as roulette and dice games, perhaps because of distrust for the concepts or workings of RNG's, or because live games are better understood by these players. Another preference for live table games of chance may be due to a player's reliance on tangible sights and sounds that the player uses to form instincts and impressions upon which wagers are considered and placed.
Despite a preference for live table games of chance, several disadvantages are common among players having this preference. A casino will often set a minimum wager amount that can be bet at a live table game. A player who has little resources to make wagers will often be precluded from spending a desirable amount of time playing the live table game. As such, the casino will be unable to realize revenue from those players who would be playing the live table game but for the requirement of a relatively high minimum wager. A casino that cannot or will not accommodate smaller wagers from players will also lose the good will and loyalty of these players because their gaming desires will go unmet.
Some players, whether making large or small wagers, would prefer to play live table games while drawing little or no public attention. If possible, these players would play alone, though they prefer to play live table games over computer controlled table games. Few casinos, however, will provide a staffed table game for just one (1) player, unless that player consistently makes relatively high wagers (e.g., a ‘high roller’). Still further, some players would prefer to play table games alone, even without any casino employees attending to the table games. For these players, little choice is available for interactive table game play, other than wagering on games of chance in an anonymous user experience over online communications using the Internet or World Wide Web.
Still other players would prefer to play a leisurely, but live, table game. These players would like to take their time and would like to play without feeling any pressure or encouragement to hurry up and play faster. These players, who do not want to feel rushed when making wagers, are not able to do so at a live table game in a casino because those games must be hurried along by a casino employee who has a duty to accommodate the speed of play desired by other players at the table or by house rules.
In order to satisfy players wanting to play a live table game, a casino must pay wages and benefits to a casino employee who is charge of and supervises the live table game. Moreover, staffed casino security for the table game and its environment is also required to be paid for by the casino. This expense can considerably lower casino profit.
Given the foregoing, it would be desirable to avoid intervention by, and control of, a live table game by a casino worker. It would further be desirable to provide unattended live table game play where the table game is played without a live casino attendant. Accordingly, a need exists for an interactive, real time, networked, unattended, and live table game. A need also exists for such a live table game that can be activated to begin play by a remote client.
A need also exists for such a live table game that can be played without a minimum wager amount, that can be played with no time limit placed upon a player to place a wager, that can be played any time of the day or night, or combinations of the foregoing game variations. By fulfilling these needs, in their various combinations, gaming companies can accommodate players desiring the same and can thereby realize income from these live table gaming arrangements.